Teachers at area schools worked this week getting their classrooms ready for the thousands of students expected in class Monday morning. Tate Elementary kindergarten teacher Regina Klaric is pictured prepping her classroom Tuesday.

Police Chief Greg Lovell said back to school means a heavy traffic load for downtown roads during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times.

“The peak of the traffic begins about 7:30 a.m. and it can run all the way up to 8:10 a.m. from both Jasper Elementary and the two middle schools.”

The chief urges parents to slow down and be patient, especially during the first few weeks of school.

“It’s always very hectic the first week or two before everybody gets in the groove,” he said. “If everybody will work with the traffic officers we’ll make it through another school year.”

Lovell advised commuters to look for alternate ways around the city during these peak times, opting for A.W. Lawson/Holly Street or Philadelphia Road as routes around Hwy. 53.